United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the work of the UN in Iraq
will continue in spite of the devastating attack on the
headquarters in Baghdad. Mr. Annan says security would be
reassessed but the UN would not be deterred by a senseless
and brutal act of violence.

"We should not be distracted
nor deterred by this senseless and brutal act of violence.
Those who killed our colleagues have committed a crime - a
crime not only against the United Nations, but against Iraq
itself."

The Secretary-General is due back in New York
today and will meet with the UN Security Council later this
afternoon. At least 20 people were killed in the blast.
Rescue workers are still sifting through the rubble hoping
to find more survivors.

Sixteen Bodies So Far
Recovered from Rubble in Baghdad

The latest figures
from Baghdad show that 16 bodies have been recovered from
the rubble and so far only seven have been identified. As of
now, 20 wounded staff members have arrived in Amman, Jordan.

Staff Members Still Missing in Baghdad: UN
Spokesman

Meanwhile, a United Nations spokesman
confirmed Wednesday that staff members are still missing.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard, responding to reporters' questions,
said the UN is in the process of reconstructing a specific
list of every UN person who was in Baghdad on
Tuesday.

"Although we don't have a final list of names, we
do know there are people missing and we are assuming there
are still people buried in the rubble."

The spokesman says
the wounded were evacuated to a number of military clinics
and local hospitals and through the night the UN visited
those facilities taking the names of the UN staff who were
there.

WHO Condemns Terrorist Bombing of UN
Headquarters

United Nations staff around the world
have been reacting to Tuesday's terrorist attack. The UN
health agency (WHO) condemned the bombing and the killing
and injuring of many staff members. According to the
spokesperson for the World Health Organization, Christine
McNab, the Director-General Dr Lee Jong-wook, said the
outrageous act of violence is aimed directly at those who
are trying to help the people of Iraq rebuild their damaged
country. "WHO and UN colleagues from countries around the
world are completely committed to helping restore basic
services and rebuild the health system in Iraq and it's very
important that that work continues."

UNHCR Will
Continue Working in Iraq

The UN refugee agency
(UNHCR), said it was shocked and saddened by the act of
terrorism. High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers said that "all too
often, it is the best people who are sent to the most
challenging places." Spokesman Kris Janowski described the
attack as "a senseless act of violence."

"Denouncing the
attack, at the same time, we are saying that UNHCR will
continue to work in Iraq and we simply refuse to be
intimidated by the attack since there are still a good
number of people in Iraq, outside Iraq for that matter, who
may want to return to their homes who would need our help."

UN Offices Hold Events To Honour Fallen
Colleagues

Meanwhile, the UN office in Nairobi,
Kenya held an event to show solidarity with colleagues in
Baghdad. That event was attended by some 600 staff. More
events are being planned including a ceremony on Friday by
the UN mission in Timor Leste which the late special
representative Sergio Vieira de Mello helped guide to
independence last year. The UN flag flies at half-mast over
UN compounds all over the world.

Annan Condemns
Suicide Bombing In Jerusalem

iSecretary-General Kofi
Annan has strongly condemned Tuesday's suicide bombing by a
Palestinian militant group in Jerusalem which killed 20
Israelis and injured dozens more. In a statement, the
Secretary-General noted that Tuesday was a "tragic day for
the UN family as well" and it shares the grief for all
victims. UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard.

"The Secretary-General
has made clear repeatedly that terrorist attacks are totally
reprehensible and he urged Palestinian Prime Minister Mabud
Abbas to take decisive action to arrest the instigators of
this attack and prevent such attacks from happening
again."

The Secretary-General also called on Israel to act
with restraint in the face of this provocation and not
contribute to a renewed cycle of violence and revenge.

UN Official Urges Courage and Determination by
Israelis/Palestinians

A senior United Nations official
has said that Israelis and Palestinians need courage and
determination to stay the course to peace. Assistant
Secretary-General for Political Affairs Danilo Turk while
briefing the UN Security Council on developments in the
Middle East over the past month, urged both parties not to
allow themselves to fall back into the senseless cycle of
violence and
revenge.

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